Ten Things You Need to Know Today Tuesday 12 Feb 2013

The government's employment strategy is in disarray after judges declared today that almost all "work-for-your-benefit" schemes were unlawful due to a lack of basic information given to the unemployed. The judges agreed with university graduate Cait Reilly's claim that requiring her to work for free at a Poundland discount store was unlawful.

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting today after North Korea confirmed it had successfully carried out an underground nuclear test involving a "miniaturised" device. The UN had warned Pyongyang of "significant consequences" if it went ahead with the provocative test, the country's third since 2006.

Dale Cregan, the man accused of murdering two police officers in a gun and grenade attack, has changed his plea to guilty. After initially denying the killings, the 29-year-old, unexpectedly admitted the offences after a break in his trial at Preston Crown Court. Cregan ambushed PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes after reporting a bogus burglary.

As many as 3,700 jobs will disappear in a major restructuring of Barclays Bank announced today by new chief executive Anthony Jenkins in a bid to rebuild the bank's damaged reputation. He is expected to reduce Barclays' investment banking division and close down a service offering advice on tax avoidance.

Chicken and pork dishes now need to be tested by retailers for cross-contamination, according to the chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, Catherine Brown. She told the Daily Telegraph that, in the wake of the horsemeat scandal, shoppers would expect a wider range of meat products to be tested and the results made public.

The Roman Catholic Church could pick a black Pope from the developing world for the first time, according to reports from Rome. Frontrunners to replace the retiring Pope Benedict include Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, 64, and Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, 80, who grew up as a member of the Ibo tribe and converted at the age of nine.

A New Zealand mother's addiction to Coca-Cola saw her drink up to 10L of the soft drink a day and contributed to her death at the age of 30, a coroner has found. Natasha Harris died from cardiac arrhythmia in February 2010, but coroner David Crerar found she was suffering from a number of health conditions which could be linked to her “extreme” intake of the beverage.

The US Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has described the moment he confronted the al-Qaeda leader and pulled the trigger. Speaking anonymously in an interview with Esquire magazine, the sniper also spoke about his anger at the US government's treatment of him and his family since he left the armed forces in September.

The Queen, Theresa May and Santander boss Ana Botin have topped a list of Britain's most powerful women compiled for Radio 4's Woman's Hour. Singer Adele, the PM's speechwriter Clare Foges and comedian Sarah Millican were among those who made the top 100 – but there was no room for the Duchess of Cambridge.

Dreamthinkspeak's new promenade show, 'In the Beginning was the End', has opened at Somerset House. Audiences take a tour of hidden passages linking King's College with Somerset House while live performance, film and ‘da Vinci-style' mechanics raise questions about where science is taking humanity. "Enthralling", says the Daily Telegraph.